In a press conference from his golf club in New Jersey on Saturday afternoon, President Trump failed to condemn white supremacists by name, instead criticizing what he said was "hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides."

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides — on many sides,” Trump said.

"It's been going on for a long time in our country. Not Donald Trump. Not Barack Obama. It's been going on for a long, long time. It has no place in America," he said.

Hours later Trump offered condolences to the victims of the crash, tweeting that it was "so sad." He also offered condolences to the families and colleagues of two state police officers who died when their helicopter crashed.

"No matter our color, creed, religion, or political party, we are all Americans first," he said. "We love our country. We love our God. We love our flag. We are proud of our country. We're proud of who we are.

"So we want to get the situation straightened out in Charlottesville and we want to study it and we want to see what we're doing wrong as a country, where things like this can happen," he said.

Vice President Mike Pence tweeted his condolences for the victims, but also did not condemn white supremacists by name.

Republican Sen. John McCain condemned the “white supremacist” attack.

In a statement, McCain said that the founders of the United States “fought a revolution for the idea that all men are created equal”.

“Nothing less is at stake on the streets of Charlottesville, Virginia, where a violent attack has taken at least one American life and injured many other in a confrontation between our better angels and our worst demons,” he continued.

McCain urged “American patriots of all colors and creeds” to come together to “defy those who raise the flag of hatred and bigotry”.